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Sturgeon says SNP will back new Brexit referendum

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said her MPs would back a new Brexit referendum if there is a vote to approve one in parliament.

The Scottish politician’s backing to give the British people a final say on the outcome of Brexit is a major boost for those pushing for a new referendum, with Labour also having signalled backing for the move last month.

Ms Sturgeon said she would seek assurances however, that Scotland could not end up in a position again where it had voted to remain in the EU but was being forced to leave, indicating the party may tie support to a new independence vote.

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The Independent has launched its own campaign to win the British people a Final Say on Brexit through a People’s Vote referendum on whatever the outcome of negotiations is, with more than 850,000 people having signed the petition so far.

Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show as the SNP’s conference kicks off in Glasgow, Ms Sturgeon said: “I think in most circumstances MPs of all parties, sensible MPs of all parties, should come together and look at the alternatives.

“No doubt the calls for a second referendum would grow in those circumstances. I’ve said before we’d not stand in the way of a second referendum, a so-called People’s Vote, I think the SNP MPs would undoubtedly vote for it.”

She went on to say that the party would want to talk to allies about how Scotland would avoid finding itself in a position where the outcome of a new referendum forced it to leave the EU, regardless of whether Scottish voters had backed such a move.

It came after the Westminster leader of the SNP, Ian Blackford, said Scotland must have the right to vote on independence for a second time should there be a similar renewed vote on Brexit.

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A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit

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Tens of thousands of people march through London

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Demonstrators at the People's Vote March

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'Two months too young to decide on my future'

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EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march

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Mr Blackford said the country should not be forced into accepting the result of any second Brexit referendum should Scotland again vote to remain but the majority of the UK vote to leave.

Nearly 52 per cent of those voting in the UK cast their ballot to leave in the 2016 referendum, but all 32 voting areas in Scotland had a majority for remain.

Mr Blackford told The Observer: “We have to have the protection of knowing that if the UK has a second vote [on Brexit] and we end up in the same situation as we had in 2016, we would be able to determine our own future.

“That would be only right and proper. There has to be the right for Scotland to call a second referendum on independence.”

Theresa May lambastes a ‘people’s vote’, saying people already had their Brexit vote in 2016

A YouGov poll of the SNP’s members showed on Sunday that an overwhelming majority not only support a People’s Vote on the outcome of Brexit negotiations, but also want the party’s 35 MPs in Westminster to give their positive backing for such a proposal.

The poll shows that the party’s grassroots would support staying in, rather than leaving the European Union, by a margin of 93 to 7 per cent, excluding “don’t knows”, if they were given the chance.

A spokeswoman for the People’s Vote campaign said: “There is growing support in every part of the UK to give voters the democratic opportunity to cancel Brexit, and the SNP and people of Scotland have a crucial role to play to cleaning up a mess that is not of their making.

“On this crucial issue Nicola Sturgeon is showing she is a political leaders who listens to her voters – who back a People’s Vote by a margin of more than four to one – and also her party’s members who are shown by our poll today to support giving the public a final say by an even bigger margin.

leftCreated with Sketch.rightCreated with Sketch.

1/31 Brexit campaign

Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: “We send the EU £350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead.”

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2/31 Voting day

A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union

AFP/Getty

3/31 Referendum results

Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it looked likely the UK would leave the European Union

AFP/Getty

4/31 Protesting the result

A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading “I’m not leaving” protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016

Getty

5/31 David Cameron resigns

British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union

Getty

6/31 Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader

Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britain’s Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children

AFP/Getty

7/31 Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019.
Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of “no deal is better than a bad deal”, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a “tone of trust” between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe.
She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU

Getty

8/31 Triggering of Article 50

British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017

Getty

9/31 Shock snap election

Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU

AFP/Getty

10/31 Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign

Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign

Getty

11/31 Conservatives lose parliamentary majority

An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government

AFP/Getty

12/31 Labour gains

Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority

AFP/Getty

13/31 Brexit negotiations begin

Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017

AFP/Getty

14/31 May speaks in Florence

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights

AFP/Getty

15/31 EU council summit – insufficient progress

German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made

AFP/Getty

16/31 DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit

DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK

Getty

17/31 May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill

Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation.
MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a “meaningful” vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels.
Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305

18/31 EU council summit – sufficient progress

Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days

AFP/Getty

19/31 The game moves to transition

Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018

PA

20/31 Trade deal is what May wants

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018

AFP/Getty

21/31 Transition period agreed

The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018

Reuters

22/31 No agreement on Irish border

The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues

AFP/Getty

23/31 EU attacks May’s ‘fantasy’ strategy

For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britain’s ‘fantasy’ negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue

Getty

24/31 UK releases Ireland plan

Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves ‘unanswered’ questions and would not prevent a hard border

EbS

25/31 Chequers plan agreed

The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan

PA

26/31 Chequers plan sparks resignations

Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement

Reuters

27/31 Davis out, Raab in

On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis

Reuters

28/31 Barnier's "deal like no other"

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain

AP

29/31 "My deal or no deal"

In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg

BBC/Jeff Overs

30/31 EU leaders reject Chequers

Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work"

Reuters

31/31 May demands respect

Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that “throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."

Getty

1/31 Brexit campaign

Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: “We send the EU £350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead.”

Getty

2/31 Voting day

A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union

AFP/Getty

3/31 Referendum results

Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it looked likely the UK would leave the European Union

AFP/Getty

4/31 Protesting the result

A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading “I’m not leaving” protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016

Getty

5/31 David Cameron resigns

British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union

Getty

6/31 Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader

Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britain’s Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children

AFP/Getty

7/31 Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019.
Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of “no deal is better than a bad deal”, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a “tone of trust” between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe.
She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU

Getty

8/31 Triggering of Article 50

British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017

Getty

9/31 Shock snap election

Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU

AFP/Getty

10/31 Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign

Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign

Getty

11/31 Conservatives lose parliamentary majority

An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government

AFP/Getty

12/31 Labour gains

Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority

AFP/Getty

13/31 Brexit negotiations begin

Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017

AFP/Getty

14/31 May speaks in Florence

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights

AFP/Getty

15/31 EU council summit – insufficient progress

German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made

AFP/Getty

16/31 DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit

DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK

Getty

17/31 May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill

Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation.
MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a “meaningful” vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels.
Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305

18/31 EU council summit – sufficient progress

Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days

AFP/Getty

19/31 The game moves to transition

Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018

PA

20/31 Trade deal is what May wants

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018

AFP/Getty

21/31 Transition period agreed

The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018

Reuters

22/31 No agreement on Irish border

The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues

AFP/Getty

23/31 EU attacks May’s ‘fantasy’ strategy

For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britain’s ‘fantasy’ negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue

Getty

24/31 UK releases Ireland plan

Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves ‘unanswered’ questions and would not prevent a hard border

EbS

25/31 Chequers plan agreed

The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan

PA

26/31 Chequers plan sparks resignations

Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement

Reuters

27/31 Davis out, Raab in

On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis

Reuters

28/31 Barnier's "deal like no other"

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain

AP

29/31 "My deal or no deal"

In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg

BBC/Jeff Overs

30/31 EU leaders reject Chequers

Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work"

Reuters

31/31 May demands respect

Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that “throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it."

Getty

Labour said at its conference that it would campaign for a new referendum if Ms May’s Brexit plans are rejected either by parliament or the EU and there is no chance of a general election.

There is still a battle to be fought in Jeremy Corbyn’s party, however, over whether any new vote should include an option to stay in the EU or not.

Both John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, and Unite union leader Len McCluskey have said they do not think it should, raising concerns that it might push Leave-backing Labour voters towards the Conservatives.

The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.

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